Dominic Arel

Fairmont The Palm, Dubai has appointed Dominic Arel as general manager. The hotelier has almost three decades of experience with Accor.

Well-versed in sales, operations and revenue management, Arel was hired for his strong leadership skills and strategic thinking, particularly as the property builds up to a busy Q4 2022.

Arel has a proven track record of leading international luxury hotels in the GCC, Europe and the Americas. He started his career with Accor in 1996, when he worked in the front office operation and revenue department at Novotel Montréal. He played an instrumental role as director of revenue management in the successful opening of Sofitel Montreal Golden Mile in 2002, which was the first Sofitel to open in Canada. He was then promoted to director of operations followed by hotel manager.

In 2011, Arel moved to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as hotel manager for Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach and managed the property for two consecutive years. He then moved to Portugal in 2013, where he was the general manager at Sofitel Lisbon for three years before returning to the Middle East.

Most recently, he was general manager of both Swissotel Al Ghurair and Swissotel Living Al Ghurair.

Arel is a graduate from the Institut de Tourisme et d'Hôtellerie du Québec in Hotel Management and from the University of Montréal (HEC), Canada. He also completed the International Hospitality Management Program at the Accor Academy in Paris, in partnership with ESSEC School in France.